Our history: Taking house tour in 18th century

If a home goes up for sale near you and you're curious about what's inside, you no longer have to show up at the open house. You can go online to see photos of the property, rooms and décor.

But how do you take a peek at an 18th-century farm in Kinderhook or house in Schodack? The answer is you can go back in time via newspapers.

In 1788, the Continental Congress was still in charge as the former British colonies ratified the Constitution. In June, when New Hampshire okayed it, the document went into effect. New York would join the Union in July as its 11th state.

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George Washington would be elected president in 1789.

If you were looking for an upstate estate, you could open the March 7, 1788, issue of The Daily Advertiser.

That New York City journal carried an advertisement under the heading "To be Sold." The level of detail presented provides the opportunity to time-travel through two homes on the market 225 years ago."

An excellent farm, lying at that noted place called Kinderhook Mills," began the notice, "a mile and a half from town, and six miles from the landing."

The estate included 150 acres of "choice land," including an "extraordinary fine meadow, where there is yearly cut thirty

ton of good hay." The land was also dotted with apple orchards.

The main house had "4 rooms on a floor, one story and a half high, a fine cellar, a large store ready fixed for a merchant, a

good Dutch barn, a fine stand for trade or any public business." The store, which had been built 13 years before, "is

pleasantly situated where three roads meet...as all the produce that goes to landing [on the Hudson] from the eastward must

pass by the door."

In addition to those pluses, the house was located near a grist mill and saw mill, "where 3,000 logs can be sawed in a

season."

The Kinderhook home, which had been leased for several years, was now for sale for "lower than any person can expect."

If that home doesn't suit you, the newspaper had an advertisement for another that might: "a large and elegant brick house,

situated at Schodack, on the bank of Hudson's river." The house, 52' x 31', had two stories and a half, with four rooms on

each full level. The kitchen and cellar lay under the building.

Real estate agents routinely say these days that the key to a house is three words: location, location, location. The Schodack

ad made the same point. The lot, said the notice, is "the best in Schodack" and "commands a fine prospect [view] up and

down the river for several miles distance."

Along with the house came a stand for trade, a new barn, a well and "a beautiful garden spot."

The seller, who apparently owned both houses, said that "any person choosing to purchase either of the above places, on

paying one quarter of the money down, may almost have their own time to payment for the remainder."

If you're thinking of buying, remember to pay attention to that one word: "almost."